WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016 SPORTS

From tragedy to triumph for Wales coach Coleman

CARDIFF: For Wales manager Chris Coleman, who Born in Swansea, south Wales, on June 10, 1970, he could not sustain his initial success and was even- beginning of qualifying for Euro 2016 was to prove a has led his country to a first major tournament since Coleman was an avid Liverpool fan as a youngster tually dismissed in April 2007. watershed moment as Coleman’s introduction of a 3- 1958, the greatest triumph of his managerial career and joined Manchester City’s youth set-up, only to 5-1-1 system turned Wales into a formidable defen- sprang from his deepest tragedy. leave at the age of 17, citing homesickness. LOST PASSPORT sive unit armed with the break-neck counter-attack- Coleman, 45, only took up the job following the He returned to his hometown with Swansea City There followed varied subsequent spells with ing pace of Real Madrid star Gareth Bale. death of his close friend and former Wales team-mate and would go on to represent Crystal Palace, Spanish side Real Sociedad, Coventry City and Greek With Bale contributing seven goals, Wales took Gary Speed from an apparent suicide in November Blackburn Rovers and Fulham at centre-back, as well club Larissa, before Speed’s untimely passing opened Group B by storm, winning four points against much- 2011. Coleman described it as the “worst, worst, as winning 32 caps for Wales, before a broken leg sus- the door for him to take charge of Wales in February fancied Belgium and securing a place at a major tour- worst” day of his life and when Wales sealed their tained in a car crash forced him into early retirement 2012. The gum-chewing, perma-tanned Coleman nament for the first time since the 1958 World Cup. place at Euro 2016 last October, his thoughts quickly in October 2002. was not a universally popular appointment and Drawn alongside Russia, Slovakia and old rivals turned to Speed. Initially employed as a coach under Jean Tigana at made a slow start, with a 6-1 loss to Serbia in World England at the Euro, Coleman says that Wales will not “I will be raising a glass to my good friend Gary Fulham, he succeeded the Frenchman as manager in Cup qualifying in September 2012 prompting him to be going to France simply to make up the numbers. Speed, obviously who is no longer with us, but April 2003 and confounded expectations by leading consider walking away. There was further embarrass- “We can’t be going there thinking, ‘It’ll be nice,’” he always in my thoughts-our thoughts,” he said. the ambitious west London club to a ninth-place fin- ment for Coleman the following September, when he said. “I think we’ve got the sort of players where we “Gary Speed played his part and I’m sure he is ish in his first full season. lost his passport prior to a match in Macedonia, caus- can soak it up and on our day we can hurt anybody.” smiling tonight.” But despite establishing Fulham in the top flight, ing him to miss a pre-match training session. But the Speed would no doubt approve. — AFP

Deschamps sets sights on more host nation glory PARIS: Having scaled the international football 2018 World Cup in Russia, even though he heights as a player, now has has hinted at missing the day-to-day rush of his sights set on leading France to European club management. Championship glory on home soil as coach. “I am flourishing,” he told L’Equipe recently Deschamps was captain of the French team when asked if he were still enjoying himself. that won the World Cup at home in 1998 and “I am privileged. I would like to spend more also led Les Bleus to glory at Euro 2000, so could time with my players, as would all national hardly be better placed to handle the pressure coaches, but I live very well with my duties. My and expectation that comes with being in objective is the Euro and I am focused exclu- charge of the Euro 2016 hosts. sively on that.” Schooled at Nantes under the When asked by sports daily L’Equipe if he legendary coach Jean-Claude Suaudeau, ‘DD’ felt France-also winners in 1984 — could lift the was part of the France side that famously suf- Henri Delaunay trophy for a third time in July, fered a gut-wrenching last-gasp loss to Bulgaria Deschamps said: “We will go into it with that to miss out on qualifying for the 1994 World objective. We can be humble and ambitious.” Cup in the United States. The 47-year-old who hails from Bayonne, The heartache marked a generation, with the capital of the French Basque Country and the exception of Deschamps, who recovered to very much rugby territory, has been building lift the World Cup at the Stade de France in towards the Euro climax. Exiting the 2014 1998 and then the Euro two years later. He won World Cup in Brazil at the quarter-final stage the last of his 103 caps in September 2000 and was accepted, especially as some of the per- retired from playing a year later at the age of formances were encouraging and there was just 32, bringing a premature end to a glittering none of the off-field problems that marred pre- career as a defensive . vious major tournaments for the French. But an exciting young team is now expected ‘BLESSED’ to deliver at Euro 2016. It has not been all plain Once described by as a “water sailing for Deschamps, who has had to deal carrier”, he captained Marseille to Champions with a sex-tape blackmail affair involving Karim League glory in 1993 and won the trophy again MONTPELLIER: Switzerland’s players practice during a training session at the team’s training ground at the Mosson stadium in Montpellier yes- Benzema. “Nothing shocks me anymore,” he with Juventus in 1996. His coaching CV is terday, three days ahead of the beginning of the Euro 2016 European football championships. — AFP said, but he must hope the decision to drop the remarkable too, featuring a Champions League Real Madrid striker from the squad does not final appearance with Monaco in 2004 and a come back to bite the national federation. French title triumph with Marseille in 2010. Swiss football banking Nevertheless, public opinion appears to He departed OM under a cloud in 2012, back the decision and Deschamps has plenty of though, and might have done the same from other attack options. the national team until a dramatic play-off win Unless things go badly wrong, over Ukraine saw them snatch qualification for on Xhaka at Euro 2016 Deschamps will be in charge through to the the last World Cup. — AFP

ZURICH: Granit Xhaka’s transfer to Arsenal for a fee key players on the Swiss side, has Albanian- the ball softly towards the keeper. Swiss TV com- reported to be about 40 million euros means there Kosovar roots. mentator Sascha Ruefer questioned if Xhaka had is pressure on the Swiss midfielder to prove his His parents were among some 300,000 missed deliberately because of his Albanian roots. worth at the European Championship finals. Kosovars who moved to Switzerland to escape the The comments were roundly rejected, with the Despite being just 23, the rising star has been territory’s brutal independence war with Serbia in team and most media dismissing any doubts capped 41 times, with former Swiss national coach the 1990s. about Xhaka’s allegiance. Ottmar Hitzfeld branding Xhaka a “young (Bastian) That has put Xhaka along with Swiss teammate But Xhaka has also played a role in fuelling Schweinsteiger,” in a widely quoted comparison to and Stoke City star Xherdan Shaqiri at the centre speculation that he may prefer to compete with the German football great. of a touchy-and sometimes xenophobic-debate in another nation’s crest on his chest. In multiple Xhaka’s performances with the Bundesliga’s the federation over the national side’s identity. media interviews, he has made clear that full Borussia Monchengladbach and previously with Countless Swiss fans simply want to see the recognition of Kosovo’s national team by FIFA Swiss club Basel made him a target for English best possible players on the pitch. could inspire him to play for the territory where clubs.Arsenal believe they have But the country, perhaps more so than some his parents were born. one of the best deals of the transfer window. other European nations, is known for anti-migrant Kosovo is not a United Nations member and Liverpool and Bayern Munich were also watching sentiment which has at times seeped into public FIFA has only cleared its team to compete in the Swiss lynchpin. Xhaka will be a key player in discussion about the football team. friendlies. Switzerland’s drive to beat low expectations and A 2012 World Cup qualifying match against Xhaka will therefore be playing for Switzerland make a run at the European Championship. Albania was a flashpoint moment. when their Euro 2016 bid starts on June 11 With Switzerland leading 2-0 in the 84th against Albania, a team that could include up to 6 FACING HIS BROTHER minute, Xhaka had what appeared to be an Swiss-born players, including Xhaka’s brother, REYKJAVIK: Liechtenstein’s Andreas Malin (L) and Martin Rechsteiner (R) vie for the o o Xhaka was born in Switzerland, but like other uncontested shot at the Albanian net, but sent Taulant. — AFP ball with Iceland’s Ei ur Smari Gu johnsen during the Euro 2016 friendly football match between Iceland and Liechtenstein in Reykjavik on Monday. — AFP 5 things about England Hodgson seeks answer to ahead of ‘Euro 2016’

LONDON: Five things about England ahead Premier League partnership. Other young ‘impossible question’ of the European Championship, where they players in the squad in France include face Russia, Wales and Slovakia in Group B: Everton pair John Stones (22) and Ross Barkley (22), Spurs holding midfielder Eric LONDON: Studious and well-travelled, Roy ‘Hodgson has no confidence in the team’. matches. Hodgson altered his tactical approach for FIFTY YEARS OF HURT Dier (22), Manchester City tyro Raheem Hodgson has the weighty responsibility of ending “We still don’t really know how this young the Euro 2016 qualifiers, switching between a 4-3-3 This year marks the 50th anniversary of Sterling (21) and Manchester United’s 18- England’s 50 years of major tournament heartache group would perform in tournament conditions formation and a 4-4-2 with midfield diamond, and England’s only major tournament triumph: year-old striker Marcus Rashford. at the European Championship in France. against much more experienced teams like guided his team to 10 successive wins. victory on home soil at the 1966 World Cup. After a run to the quarter-finals at Euro 2012, Germany, who are used to reaching finals, and A team managed by Alf Ramsey, captained EURO 96 HEARTACHE less than two months after succeeding Fabio France as the home nation. MEANDERING by Bobby Moore and inspired by Manchester England’s last brush with major tourna- Capello as manager, Hodgson presided over a “But I believe in the team. Absolutely.” A native of Croydon in south London, Hodgson United midfielder Bobby Charlton came ment success came 20 years ago in the 1996 galling group-phase exit at the 2014 World Cup Having previously failed in a high-profile post at has built his reputation on producing disciplined, through a group containing Uruguay, Mexico European Championship, which was played in Brazil. Liverpool, Hodgson was seen as an underwhelm- well-organised teams, but England’s youthful edge and France. They saw off Argentina in a bad- on home soil. Terry Venables’s side thrilled in A flawless Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, allied ing choice to succeed Capello when the Italian has revealed a more daring side to his approach. tempered quarter-final before Charlton’s the group phase, beating Scotland 2-0 in a to the exciting emergence of Harry Kane and Dele abruptly stepped down in February 2012. “It is great to see young players coming through brace secured a 2-1 success against Portugal game that featured a wonderful Paul Alli, has raised expectations, but Hodgson has England performed creditably at Euro 2012, and playing with the enjoyment that you want in the last four. In the final at Wembley, West Gascoigne goal and outclassing the greeted the fervour with characteristic caution. falling to Italy on penalties in the last eight, them to play with,” says former England captain Ham United’s Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick Netherlands 4-1, before edging Spain on “It’s the impossible question,” the 68-year-old and qualified for the World Cup with an David Beckham. in a 4-2 extra-time win over West Germany, penalties in the quarter-finals. But they fell to said when asked whether, in light of England’s stir- unbeaten record. “It is what Roy has done so well. He has brought becoming the first and to date only player to old foes and eventual champions Germany in ring 3-2 victory over world champions Germany in But a two-man midfield of Jordan Henderson so many young players into the squad and given score three times in a World Cup final. agonising fashion in the last four. After early March, his side could win the tournament. and the ageing Steven Gerrard was overrun in them the chance to play on the biggest stage.” Despite producing some of the game’s best- goals from Alan Shearer and Stefan Kuntz “If I say ‘yes’, then it’s ‘Hodgson thinks we can Brazil, with successive 2-1 losses to Italy and An undistinguished player, whose career includ- known footballers, England have reached cancelled each other out, Gascoigne came win the Euros’. If I say it’s a tough ask, then Uruguay seeing England eliminated after just two ed a spell in South Africa, Hodgson went into man- just three major tournament semi-finals-at within millimetres of touching in a cross from agement with Swedish club Halmstad in 1976, win- the 1990 World Cup and the 1968 and 1996 Shearer in extra time that would have given ning two league titles. European Championships-in the years since. England a golden-goal victory. Gareth He later returned to Sweden with Malmo, win- At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, they were Southgate was the fall guy in the penalty ning five league titles, and his managerial mean- eliminated after just two matches. shootout, with Andreas Kopke parrying his dering has also included jobs with clubs as varied tame spot-kick. England previously finished as Inter Milan, Blackburn Rovers and FC RECORD-CHASING ROONEY third at the four-team European Copenhagen, as well as the national teams of Captain Wayne Rooney broke Charlton’s Championship of 1968. Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Finland. 35-year-old England scoring record last Hodgson’s experience at Fulham, who were October when his penalty in a 2-0 Euro 2016 CRADLE OF THE GAME 18th in the Premier League when he arrived in qualifying win over Switzerland took him to Football’s modern rules were first codified December 2007, showcased his best qualities in 50 international goals. The 30-year-old in a London pub in 1863 and England played microcosm. The west London club stayed up that Manchester United striker could surpass the first ever international match against season, finished seventh the following year and David Beckham’s record of 115 appearances Scotland in 1870. But a strained relationship reached the final of the Europa League in 2010, los- for an outfield player if England reach the with world governing body FIFA meant that ing 2-1 to Atletico Madrid. knockout phase in France. England did not compete at a World Cup His success at Craven Cottage earned him a until the 1950 edition in Brazil, where they crack at the Liverpool job, although he lasted only FEARLESS YOUTH? were humiliated 1-0 by the part-timers of the half a season. A subsequent stint at West Bromwich Having seen stalwarts including John United States. They were dealt their most Albion restored his reputation sufficiently for the Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Steven painful defeat three years later when a Football Association to come calling in 2012. Gerrard and Frank Lampard retire from inter- Hungary team inspired by the great Ferenc Not unlike the late and fondly remembered national football over the course of his Puskas romped to a stylish 6-3 victory at a prior to England’s run to the semi- tenure, Hodgson has presided over the shell-shocked Wembley. The 1966 World Cup finals at the 1990 World Cup, Hodgson is perceived blooding of a new generation. Leading the triumph restored the English game to its for- in Britain as a bumbling, avuncular figure. Eclipse way are the Tottenham Hotspur pairing of mer lustre, but recurrent subsequent failings CHANTILLY: England’s forwards Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane (R) take part in a training Robson by leading England to glory in France, 50 striker Harry Kane (22) and midfield dynamo have exposed how far behind the rest of the session at their training ground in Chantilly, yesterday during the Euro 2016 football years on from their 1966 World Cup triumph, and Dele Alli (20), who have formed a formidable world England has fallen. — AFP tournament. — AFP he will become a national treasure. —AFP